Device for guiding, clearing, and tensioning yarn



I. 0. McKEAN. DEVICE FOR GUIDING, CLEARING, AND TENSIONING YARN.

APPLICATION man MAR. II, 19m.

v 1,405,792. Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

M INVENTOR A T To RN E 76 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN O. MCKEAN, OF WESTIEIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNO-R TOTOSTER MACHINE COMPANY, OF WESTFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHU- SETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 7, 1922.

Application filed March 11, 1921. Serial No. 451,485.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN O. MCKEAN,

a citizen of the United States, and resident of WVestfield, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Devices for Guiding, Clearing, and Tensioning Yarn, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide certain improvements in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts of a device for guiding, tensioning and clearing yarn, whereby the life of the device is materially lengthened; in which the parts which are subject to Wear may be readily replaced, and in which all liability of the catching of the yarn on the device when threading the same is eliminated.

A further object is to provide a. device in which the yarn may be very readily threaded throughthe device and maintained in its pro-per lead therethrough. I

A practical embodiment of my invention is representedin the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 represents the device in top plan. Fig. 2 represents the same in side elevation.

Fig. plan. v

Fig. 1 represents the same in front elevation.

Fig. tion.

Fig. 6 represents a section taken in the 3 represents the device in bottom 5 represents the device in rear elevaplane of the line VIVI of Fig. 1.

Fig. 7 represents the removable and reversible yarn supporting grid in perspective. The bracket is preferably a casting and it comprises a resilient yoke, the lower branch of which is designated by 1 and the upper branch by 2. These two branches are provided with lateral extensions 3 and 4 respectively, forming between them a slit 5 for the passage of the yarn. The lateral extension 3 may; be provided with a downwardly extended ear 6. The upper lateral extension 4 is provided with a lug8 from which a pin 9 projects downwardly across the slit 5 to serve as a guide for the yarn as it passes from the said slit.

The upper branch 2 is swung out of its normal position to vary the Width of the slit 5 without changing the parallelism of vits walls, by means of an adjusting screw,

the shank 10 of which passes through the upper branch 2 across theyoke and into screw-threaded engagement with the lower branch 1, the head 11 of which, screw is preferably countersunk in a recess 12 in the upper branch 2. As the device is shown the screw is arranged to spring the upper branch 2 toward the lower branch 1 of the yoke to 'narrow the yarn slit, the resiliency of the yoke serving to spring the branches apart to widen the slit as the screw is turned back.

The parts hereinabove described serve to act as a very effective and simple yarn clearer or slub catcher which may be readily adjusted for different sizes of yarn and yet will engage bunches, slubs, knots or other enlarged portions of the yarn.

The bracket may be supported in any suitable manner on the bar 13 of the machine,- as for instance by providing the lower branch of the yoke with a hollow lug 14 throughwhich the bar 13 extends, a set screw 15 being provided for securing the bracket on the bar.

An arm 16 extends laterally from the closed end of the yoke from which arm project forwardlyand rearwardly respectively, fingers 17 and 18, the rearwardly extending finger 18 having a hooked end 19 which serves as a the device.

The gravity tension device for the yarn is constructed and arranged as follows A guard 20 extends rearwardly from the lateral extension 4 of the upper branch 2 of the bracket and overlaps on the inside of the forwardly extended finger 17, leaving a space for the threading of the yarn. A bridge 21 leads from the rear end of the guard 20 to the upper branch 2 of the yoke.

A pin 22 extends through the bridge 21 and projects downwardly therefrom to a point below the yarn support, to be hereinafter described, which pin is frictionally held in its position so that it may be removed from the bridge when so desired. In the present instance I have shown this pin as a cotter pin, the tension of the branches of which serve to frictionally hold the pin within the bridge. A guard 23 is provided on the top of the bridge 21 for preventing guide for the yarn as it enters the yarn from being caught on the head 24 of the pin 22.

The reversible and removable yarn support which forms a part of the tensioning device for the yarn comprises a U-shaped grid 25, which spans the space between the upper branch 2 of the yoke and the forwardly projecting finger 17 of the arm 16, and which is arranged parallel to the said arm 16. In the present instance one branch of this skeleton support or grid is inserted through a hole in the forwardly extended finger 17 and both branches are inserted into holes in the, upper branch 2 of the yoke. This grid or skeleton support is removable and reversible so that when the top of the grid becomes worn by the yarn, the grid may be removed and reversed to present a new surface and when this new surface becomes worn, the grid may be replaced by a new grid.

The grid may be held against unintentional removal by providing a set screw 26 which can be turned into clamping engagement with one of the branches of the grid.

A weighted disc 27 is loosely mounted on the pin 22 and normally rests upon the grid 25. This weighted disc is prevented frombeing thrown off over the top of the pin by the bridge 21.

To prevent the weighted disc from falling off from the pin 22, when the grid 25 is removed for reversal or renewal, I provide a fixed pin 28 which projects laterally from the upper branch 2 of the yoke between and in the plane of the branches of the grid 25.

It will be seen that by guarding the head of the pin 22 of the tensioning device and by countersinking the head 11 of the adjusting screw 10 and by other refinements in'the bracket I am enabled to produce a device in which the liability of the yarn to catch on the same when being threaded through the device is materially reduced, thus eliminating one of the difficulties in devices of this character.

It will furthermore be seen that by the a provision of a skeleton support for the yarn as it passes under' the weighted disc, I am enabled to produce a device in which all tendency of the filling ulp'of the device with lint, seed or other foreign matter under the weight, which would tend to render the weight ineffective, is eliminated.

It will also be seen that by the provision of a removable and reversible skeleton support for the yarn as it passes through the tensioning device, I am enabled to materially increase the life of the device as a whole.

Another valuable feature of my invention lies in the fact that when the device is in use, the weight of the tensionin'g device is practically supported at three points, two points by the yarn and the third pointby the fixed pin 28 of the yarn support, thus tending to reduce the wear on the said suport.

The hooked end 19 serves as a guide for the yarn as it enters the device and also serves as a guide for preventing the escape of the yarn.

The weighted disc maybe readily removed for replacement or other punposes by merely withdrawing the center pin from its frictional engagement with the bridge, it being observed that no additional means is required for holding the pin in its position.

The parts shown and described, but not claimed herein, which relate more particularly to the yarn clearer, form the subject matter of a copending application filed by me September 16, 1920, Serial No. 410637.

It is to be understood that the pin 28 which is shown between the branches of the U-shaped grid, may be omitted if so desired, in which case a four point contact for the weighted disc would be provided instead of the three point contact before referred to.

It is evident that various changes may be resorted to in the construction, form and arrangement of the several parts without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention; hence I do not wish to limit myself to this particular embodiment herein shown and described, but

What I claim is 1. In a tension device, a bracket, a reversithereby, a freely rotatable gravity operated disc arranged to coact with said yarn support, and means for leading the yarn horizontally across said support.

3. In a tension device, a gravity operated disc, and a removable U-shaped grid forming a skeleton yarn-support arranged to coact with said disc.

4. In a tension device, a. gravity operated disc and a removable and reversible U-shaped grid forming a skeleton yarn support arranged to coact with said disc.

5. In a tension device, a gravity operated disc, a removable and reversible U-shaped grid forming a skeleton yarn support arranged to coact with said disc, and means for securing the grid against unintentional re moval.

6. In a tension device, a gravity operated disc, a removable and reversible U-shaped grid forming a skeleton yarn support arranged to coact with said disc, means for securing the grid against unintentional re- .moval, and means for holding the disc in position when the grid is removed.

7. In a tension device, a gravity operated disc, a removable and reversible U-shaped grid forming a skeleton yarn support arranged to coact with said disc, means for securing the. grid against unintentional removal, and a fixed pin located between the branches of the grid for holding the disc in position when the grid is removed.

8. In a tension device, a bracket, a yarn support carried thereby, said bracket having a member located over the yarn-support, a pin depending from said member, and a gravity operated disc loosely mounted onsaid pin, arranged to coact with said yarn support.

9. In a tension device, a bracket, a yarn support carried thereby. said bracket having a member located over the yarn support, a removable pin depending from said member, and a gravity operated disc loosely mounted on said pin, arranged to coact with said yarn support.

10. In a tension device, a bracket, a yarn support carried thereby, said bracket having a. member located over the yarn support, a removable split pin depending from and vfrictionally held by said member against unintentional removal, and a' gravity operated disc loosely mounted on said pin, arranged to co-actwith said yarn sup-port.

11. In a tension device, a bracket, ayarn support carried thereby, said bracketh aving a member located over the yarn support, a pin depending from said member, a gravity operated .dise loosely mounted on said pin, arranged to coact'with said yarn support, and a yarn guard for the head of said pin, uprising from said bracket member.

12. In a tension device, a bracket, a horizontally arranged removable skeleton yarn support held at both ends in the bracket, said bracket having a member located over said yarn support, a removable pin depending from said member to a point below the yarn support, and a gravity-operated disc res-ting on said yarn support and'loosely mounted on said pin.

13. In a tension device, a bracket, a horizontally arranged reversible skeleton yarn support held at both ends in the bracket, said bracket having a member located over said yarn support, a removable pin. depending from said member to a point belo the yarn support, and a gravity operate disc. resting on said yarn support and loosely mounted on said pin.

14. In a tension device, a bracket, a hori zontally arranged removable and reversible skeleton yarn support held at both ends in the bracket, said bracket having a member located over said yarn support, a removable pin depending from said member to a point below the yarn support, and*a gravity opyarn support support grid having one of port comprising a U-shaped grid, the

branches of which span the space beneath the disc, and a set screw engaging one of the'branches .to hold the yarn support against unintentional removal.

16. In a tension device, a gravity operated disc, a removable and reversible yarn support arranged to coact therewith, said yarn support comprising a U-shaped grid, the branchesof which span the space beneath the disc, and a set screw engaging one of the branchesto hold the yarn support against unintentional removal.

17. Ina tension device, a gravity operated disc, a removable and reversible yarn support arranged to coact therewith, said yarn support comprisinga U-shaped grid, the branches of which span the space beneath the disc, and a fixed pin serving as a support for the weight when the yarn support is removed. 1

18. In a tension device, a gravity operated disc, a removable and reversible yarn support arranged to coact therewith, said comprising a U-shaped grid, thebranches of which span the space beneath-the disc, and a fixed pin serving as a support for the weight when the yarn support is removed, said fixed pin acting with the yarn as it passes over the two branches. of the yarn support as a three point sup-.

port for the disc.

, 19. A tension device comprising an integral resilient yoke, the upper and lower branches of which have lateral extensions forming between them a slit for the passage of the yarn, means for springing one of t e branches toward the other branch to narrow the slit, a yarn support carried by the upper branch, a depending pin carried by the upper branch, and a gravity operated mally resting on said support.

20. A tensiondevice comprising an integral resilient yoke, the upper and lower branches of which have lateral extensions formin between them a slit for the passage ot the yarn, means for springing one of the branches toward the other branch to narrow the slit, said lower branch havin a laterally extended arm provided with a orwardly extended finger, a U-shaped yarn its branches passed through the forwardly extended finger and both of its branches inserted into said upper branch, a depending pin carried .by the upper branch, and a gravity operated disc loosely mounted on said pin and normally resting on sald grld.

21; A tension device comprising an inte- "disc loosely mounted on said pin and nor- I gral resilient yoke, the upper and lower branches of which have lateral extensions forming between them a slit for the passage of the yarn, means for springing one of the branches toward the other branch to nar row the slit, a skeleton yarn support carried bv the upper branch, a depending pin carried by the upper branch, and a gravity operated disc loosely mounted on said pin and normally resting on said support.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name this 2nd day of March, 1921.

JOHN O. MCKEAN. 

